


Give a Butterfly Some Love

by pickett



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Crack, F/M, I don't know I'm bad at this, Kwami Swap, amazing prompt and I'm not going to do it justice lol, butterfly!Adrien, im sorry, is it even crack?, maybe who knows, this is from the prompt from thescuttlebugg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-16 00:32:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11242560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickett/pseuds/pickett
Summary: The worst possible kwami swap: in which Gabriel is Hawkmoth and discovers that Adrien is Chat Noir. Chaos ensues as Gabriel fights for the ring, and in the process, the two switch miraculouses. Now Hawkmoth as Chat Noir is chasing after Ladybug and Chat Noir as Papillon just wants somebody to just take the butterfly and help him PLEASE.Inspired by thescuttlebugg's post on tumblr, tagged under "the-one-with-the-worst-possible-kwami-swap". Go check them out! They're awesome :)





	1. In Which Adrien Discovers that His Father is Not Only a Jerk but also a Major Jerk™

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thescuttlebugg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescuttlebugg/gifts).



It was a normal Thursday night and Adrien was eating (by himself,  _again_ ) at the long, lonely dining table of his grand house. He huffed. What was the point of such a great manor if there was no one to share it with, no love to fill it with? Honestly, if Adrien could share a secret with anyone without repercussions it would be that he thought his father was a bit of a jerk. Not that he didn’t still hold a little love for the man or hope that he would come around and they could be a family again, but, well. Facts were facts and statistically…his father was a jerk, and it wouldn't change anytime soon.  

So it was a comfort that Adrien had Plagg and Ladybug. He smiled through a bite of escargot which (don’t tell his father) he secretly despised. Just the thought of Ladybug and their patrol later that night was enough to lift his spirits. Plagg shifted discreetly inside his jacket, as if sensing his mushy thoughts. Adrien rolled his eyes and sneaked a glance around before pulling a bit of camembert into his jacket. Muffled moaning and chewing noises ensued. 

Yes, it was a normal Thursday night, the operative word being ‘was’. 

As Adrien was finishing up, Gabriel Agreste walked into the dining room, accompanied by Nathalie. 

“Father?” Adrien was baffled. Gabriel never joined him for dinner; in fact, he was rarely ever home.

“Hello Adrien,” Gabriel nodded at his son (though it was more a brief jerk of the head than a nod).

“Monsieur Agreste has a very important matter to discuss with you, Adrien. I will cancel your piano lesson for today so that you two can properly discuss the situation,” Nathalie said. Then, without another word, she turned heel and left the room.

Adrien looked at his father, who, unperturbed, began to eat his meal.

“Don’t tap your foot, Adrien. Learn to be more patient. We will talk after I finish my meal.” And then it was quiet once more.

What could his father want from him? Adrien had done nothing wrong in the past few weeks and his grades had been consistent; he was _excelling_ academically. Gabriel wouldn’t possibly pull Adrien out of public school after half a year, would he? Adrien wanted to say no, but…he knew full well how ridiculous and overbearing his father could be and it was indeed a very probable possibility, one that Adrien couldn’t stand to think about.

Gabriel finally finished dinner and pushed his plate to the side. The two Agreste men stared at one another: Gabriel evaluating his son, and Adrien trying not to blink because he had the distinct sense that if he blinked he would lose. Lose what though, he had no idea.

“I never really noticed that ring of yours, Adrien. It’s quite tacky, don’t you agree?”

Oh. Oh  _wow._ Adrien's father hadn’t noticed a lot of things due to his neglect, and now he had the nerve to point his ring out as if he had been a fully responsible, caring parent? Adrien could feel the Chat Noir in him gasping in indignation and narrowing his eyes until they were mere slits. His father didn’t even care to keep tabs on his health or his emotional state-no, he only pointed out the ring because it marred his appearance and was ‘tacky’. It took all of his willpower for Adrien not to glare at his father, but he managed. However, he could not keep the bite out of his words.

“I wouldn’t expect you to have noticed,  _Father._ And I happen to like this ring.”

Gabriel stiffened at the hostility of his son. After all, he wasn’t used to any backlash or resistance. He subtly raised his head to look down at Adrien (a display of power and intimidation). Adrien stared back and maintained eye contact.

“Whether you like it or not is irrelevant to this discussion. I believe that the ring is a bad influence on you and an inaccurate representation of the Agreste name. I will be taking care of it for the time being.”

Panic rushed into Adrien, seizing his heart and mind, clawing at his stomach, squeezing his lungs. He sat still as his body rebelled. Gabriel had taken away his freedom, neglected to give him love, and restricted his personality and friendships by forcing him to be something he wasn’t to the public eye and…and-and the _one_ chance Adrien had to finally be himself, to love, laugh, live, give back to the world. To be free, to be with Ladybug, to crack bad puns, to make friends, to be a superhero and fight, all of it. His father could _not_  take that away from him. Adrien wouldn’t let him. The ring was his, the miraculous was his, _Plagg_  was his. Every fiber of his being was saying no, and so he voiced this opinion. Which was, to say the least, a mistake.

“No?” Gabriel’s voice had taken on a dangerous edge, the glint in his eyes somehow hardening (and just when Adrien thought his father couldn’t get more cold and intimidating too). He pulled at the cuffs of his suit. “You don’t say no to me, Adrien. I really thought you were better than this. Don’t you care about preserving our name and the empire I worked so hard to build? Ungrateful. Truly ungrateful. I thought public school would have taught you to be more understanding of our superior position, but you haven't matured at all. You're still so selfish and dramatic and childish. It’s becoming obvious that this ring is not the only bad influence in your life. Hand it over, Adrien. Or do you want me to pull you out of public school too?” A shadow of a sneer graced itself upon Gabriel’s face. He was too poised for it to take over entirely though, and Adrien only found that more disgusting.

What had started as a normal Thursday was rapidly turning into a disaster. Adrien could feel the life he had worked so hard to maintain slipping from underneath his fingertips. His perfectly manicured nails simply couldn’t hold on. It was unfair. He knew he was bad luck; Plagg had told him so much, but still.  _Still_. His father didn’t do much parenting. Adrien only received the strict odds and ends, the rules and restrictions that would benefit Gabriel himself. It had been a while since he had been offered love or any from of selfless parenting. But Gabriel had never before affected Adrien like this. Adrien shook the thoughts out of his mind, allowing his father the benefit of doubt for now. Gabriel didn't know the weight of the ring, of course, and he couldn't know. A small part of Adrien hoped that if he knew, the circumstances would be different. It wasn't likely though and Adrien recognized that with a heavy sigh. He couldn’t wait until he was truly in charge of his own life, until he could escape the stifling emptiness of the Agreste mansion and fade away from his father’s influence. But for now, he was stuck and he had to choose. Either he would lose his ring, Plagg, and the freedom that came with being Chat Noir, possibly endangering Ladybug and Paris in the process...or he would lose his friendships and the normalcy of public school. It wasn't a hard decision. Adrien knew that he had to give up his school and his friends. He had to do it to protect Paris, protect his partner. And in order to do so, Adrien had to keep the ring away from his father _at all costs_. 

It was then that Adrien began to plan his escape. He tried to keep his calm, he really did. But it was rather hard to form an escape plan and look for exits and at the same time not give away the fact that he was, well, forming an escape plan. With a quick change of tactics, he looked straight at his father, face stuck in a perpetual grimace. There were two possible exits that he had a chance of successfully escaping through. And-and-and his train of thought was stopped momentarily.

Was that a brooch on his father’s suit? Since when did the great Gabriel Agreste wear  _brooches_? It seemed like it was a butterfly-shaped brooch too. Weird. Adrien’s mind came to a full screeching stop now. Wait a minute. He backtracked. Brooch…butterflies…wanting the ring/miraculous. It couldn’t be, right? 

But if it was...

Steeling himself, Adrien straightened. It was a gamble, but it would either prove or disprove his theory. “I will give my ring under one circumstance,” He said, hoping his father couldn’t see through his bluff. His words sounded just a bit too loud, a bit too strained to his ears. Like a shoddily made thin fabric being marketed as silk. His father only looked at him expectantly, the way he did whenever he wanted to entertain a "ridiculous" idea and give the person false hope.

But Adrien didn't falter. “Give me your brooch,” Adrien noted his father’s eyes widening slightly, darkness flitting (ha) over his face. Of course, he thought bitterly, just my luck. In an effort to protect himself from his father (Hawkmoth, he corrected himself in his mind, not quite believing it), he continued, “You have to agree that it's just as tacky. And I have a friend who is looking for a butterfly brooch, anyways. I’d like to at least get something out of the loss of this ring. My other friend, Marinette, gifted it to me, so not only is it special, but the loss of it would add strain to our friendship. I’m sure you understand the social dynamics.” Darn his big mouth. Why did he have to give names? Now he had to remember to ask Marinette of all people to lie for him.

Gabriel snarled (like, full on snarled-it took Adrien by surprise because his father never let his guard down ever. Except that one day his mom disappeared, but he didn’t want to think about that day. Even then his father had not broken down in front of him, but in the private of his office. So yeah, Adrien was shooketh). “Listen to me, Adrien. You are still a child, and I am your father. You do not ask or demand something from me, got it? You will give me the ring and go to your room, and if you resist any further, I _will_ pull you out of public school. To be clear, I am _not_  giving you the brooch. You will get the ring back when you have proven yourself mature. Do not make this mistake again, Adrien. Our name is much more important than you might realize, and I will not have you tarnishing it with your reckless actions. Now, the ring. Give it.”

Adrien knew there was no way out of this, but he also knew that there was no way in hell he would ever give his ring to Hawkmoth willingly. It was about time he stood up for himself. He would pay the price later.

With a grunt, he launched himself out of his chair and rolled across the dining table. In one swift motion, he snatched the brooch from his father, effectively ruining the suit in the process.

Gabriel’s face contorted, purpling at the cheeks. Adrien had never seen his father this angry before, but he refused to be afraid. He had to run. Now.   

Adrien jumped off the table and ran up the stairs, flipping himself over the railing and skidding into his room. He slammed the door behind him, still clutching the brooch, and leaned against it, hard. But he was no match for his father’s stature and strength. Gabriel was pounding against the door relentlessly and Adrien knew it was about to give. Quickly, Adrien transformed and used his baton to secure the door. Frantically, he turned his head around, eyes searching for an effective hiding place.

Aha! His eyes lit up at his bed, the closest thing to him. It would have to do for now. He hid the brooch under his mattress and whipped the baton out, stepping to the side. He was ready to f i t e. Sixteen years of pent up anger and frustration boiled to the surface, but was never put to use. 

Adrien had expected the door to open immediately. The sudden loss of resistance and his father’s own weight against the door should've sent Gabriel flying into his room.  _Should've_. What Adrien hadn’t noticed was that the pounding had stopped before he had removed his baton. Gabriel stepped through the door with an eerie calmness and, before Adrien could move, slipped the ring off of Adrien’s finger and into his coat pocket. When Adrien finally recovered his senses, he lunged at his father...only to come up with thin air. He had failed Paris. He had failed Plagg. Most importantly, he had failed Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what I'm doing because I think there's a little bit of angst in here but my crack tendencies are also coming out, so really it's all a mess but I tried and I still hope you like it.
> 
> Also I'm really sorry if any of you are reading How the Cat Caught the Canary. I've been kind of lazy and procrastinating almost everything in my life, but the rest of the story is coming along (slowly) I promise!
> 
> Have a great day and as always, comments and kudos will be greatly appreciated!


	2. In Which Gabriel Flirts and Ladybug Has Never Been More Confused

Gabriel closed the door to his lair with a click and slipped the ring onto his fourth finger of his left hand, where his wedding ring used to- _No_. He wasn’t going to think about that. Right now, he had to focus on getting Ladybug’s earrings, which should be easy with Chat's miraculous.   

He let out a sigh. In the dark comfort of this hidden room, where there were no security cameras or paparazzi or people, he could admit to himself that maybe-just _maybe_ -his plan was a little bit flawed. But he was too far in to turn back now! He hadn’t known-couldn’t have known-that his own son was his “enemy” Chat Noir. If he had known, maybe this all could’ve ended much sooner. Gabriel had never wanted to hurt the children, especially after realizing who Chat Noir was. He only wanted Angelina back, as did Adrien. Now that Adrien was out of harm’s way, he could put his plan into action. He just needed Ladybug’s miraculous, this one small detail. It was so close he could feel the smooth round studs at his fingertips already. Maybe this was a bad idea, but it was his _only_ idea and he couldn’t turn back now. He couldn’t afford to. It was nearing two years without her now and he couldn’t take it. Every day his heart beat a little slower, his posture grew a little stiffer. But with both miraculouses...Adrien didn’t understand the pain, he couldn’t. He was just a kid and he had never been in love. He had never had his other half ripped from him so viciously that he stumbled back from the force of it and froze over in shock. Gabriel had. He let out another heavy sigh, letting his arms fall from their locked positions. Adrien didn’t understand, but Gabriel still hoped that he wouldn’t fault him for leaping at a chance to become a family again, to have Angelina back in his arms again.

A black creature beside him coughed in disdain. Gabriel turned slowly, prepared for the anger of a stolen kwami. After a brief once-over, he deemed the new kwami too smug for his own good. Summoning his cold Agreste Demeanor™, he cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, authoritative tone.

“How do I transform?”

The kwami paused in midair as if thinking it over, little fingers rubbing its oversized chin. Then, with a wide grin that would be inappropriate at most if not all dinner meetings, he replied. “How about you give me some camembert first? Name’s Plagg by the way.” The kwami smirked at Gabriel’s wide, furious eyes, and Gabriel had to take a deep breath so he didn’t kill the little pest.

Camembert. Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. So that's why Adrien always smelled like stinky cheese.

“Tell me how to transform!” Gabriel tried again, voice bellowing out in the room.

“Nope,” This time, the kwami- _Plagg_ -popped the p in his answer. Gabriel wanted to throttle him.

“Ears Up,” He attempted because if the smug bastard wouldn’t tell him, he’d figure it out himself. Nothing happened. Plagg crossed his arms and smirked again. Gabriel almost growled. “Fangs Out, Fur On, Tail Out, Whiskers On!” Nothing.

He glared at the mini god. Cats weren’t even that great. All they had were whiskers and tails and bad luck. And claws, Gabriel suddenly realized. This time it was his turn to smirk.

“Claws Out!” And with that, Gabriel Agreste, fashion tycoon and part time supervillain, became Chat Noir (much to Plagg’s disdain).

* * *

 Adrien was having a really bad day as you may recall. Well, it was an okay day up until dinner. And then he was forced to eat escargot (not the point but still a tragedy), and his father had turned out to be the supervillain that tried to kill him and Ladybug every other day. As you can imagine, finding out that your already jerk father was also trying to kill you was not good for a kid's self-esteem. He would probably have to go to therapy after this.

Adrien swallowed hard. He had lost his miraculous. He couldn't help his lady like this. That was a fact. Adrien covered his face with his hands, letting himself convulse in pure grief and panic for a minute before standing up and taking a deep, deep breath (which he almost forgot to let out). He had to think and he had to remain calm or he would _really_ be unable to help his lady. But then, when he tried to think, his first thought was: What would Ladybug do? That almost sent him over the edge a second time.

Adrien wavered on his feet, trying to numb himself as he stared at the door. He rubbed his ring finger a couple of times, absentmindedly. His father was Hawkmoth, his father was pretending to be Chat Noir, and Ladybug didn't know. Was he missing anything (other than the fact that his father was a massive a-hole)? He felt like he was. Adrien went over the events of the night in his mind again. He was at dinner. His father came in. Nathalie canceled his piano lesson. His father had dinner with him. His father wanted his ring. He had refused and...and he had stolen his father's brooch! The miraculous!

Adrien retrieved the brooch and pinned it on his shirt, immediately feeling lighter. Shaking off the layer of _fuck, I’m so useless and this is all my fault_ that had accumulated over him after he had lost his miraculous and become a plain old civilian, Adrien looked around for a kwami. Seconds later, a light purple kwami with fuzzy antennae and a darker purple swirl on its forehead popped into existence.

"Hello master. My name is Nooroo."

"Hello Nooroo," Adrien smiled, "How do I transform?"

After a brief lecture on his weapons and powers, Adrien tried on his new super-powered suit. Dark purple gloves ran up to his elbows and a butterfly mask graced his face. Most of his suit was the same light purple as Nooroo, and dark fabric stretched between his elbows and his hips, mimicking wings. Adrien couldn’t help but feel that he was missing his claws and his ears and his tail, but at least he had small fuzzy antennae like the ones he had seen on Nooroo earlier to make up for it. With a shout, he jumped out of the window and glided from rooftop to rooftop. He only hoped to find Ladybug before it was too late.

* * *

Marinette was working on her latest skirt design when she felt a slight tingle down her spine. Tikki seemed to be a bit disturbed, but she didn't approach Marinette with her concerns like she usually would, so Marinette tried to brush the feeling of impending doom off her shoulders. She was probably just sleep deprived and stressed.

It was only when Marinette thought to look at the clock that she remembered. She had patrol tonight, and she was running horribly late! No wonder she had felt dread.

Marinette hastily closed her sketchbook before climbing onto her balcony. "Tikki," Marinette said, "Spots on!"

A moment later, Ladybug was swinging across Paris towards her and Chat's meeting place. With the wind whistling past her ears and the budding sunset in front of her, Ladybug could feel all her previous worries seeping out of her, as if being vacuumed out by the city itself.

As she approached their designated meeting spot, Ladybug saw that a certain dark figure was already there waiting for her. Ladybug idly wondered how long she’d made him wait, and a pang of guilt struck her. Next patrol, she'd be sure to bring some pastries to make up for it. If she recalled correctly, chocolate croissants were some of Chat’s favorites. Mentally, she made a note to make the croissants herself. It would mean much more to her chaton that way.

Distracted by her thoughts, Ladybug couldn’t feel Tikki growing restless in the back of her mind (to be exact, Tikki was dancing an impatient, agitated dance in her abstract form, trying to get Marinette’s attention because something about Chat Noir and Plagg’s energy made her on edge.)

"Hey, Chat, sorry to make you wait!" Ladybug called out as she landed on the roof of the abandoned building. Nearby, a white butterfly that Adrien had summoned (after five minutes of frustrated screaming because he would either get zero butterflies or a thousand butterflies and he _couldn’t control it_ ) landed discreetly and listened in.

"Oh, but Ladybug," The figure began in a voice much colder and much lower than the Chat she knew, "the wait was worth it if only to finally see you."

"Silly kitty," Ladybug quipped back instinctively, but a shiver had already made its way down her neck. Chat's words were familiar and flirty, but his tone was off. Ladybug looked up curiously. Was Chat sick today? He had mentioned not feeling well last patrol, and if he had come down with a cold, it was no wonder his voice was different. Maybe she should end the patrol early tonight?

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off when blue eyes met another set of blue eyes. Blue, Ladybug thought, his eyes were blue not green.

"What's the matter, my lady?" Ladybug narrowed her eyes in simultaneous concern and suspicion. It felt wrong somehow. Ladybug didn't know why, but it felt wrong. For one, it might’ve been her imagination, but she couldn’t hear the emphasis and capitalization that should’ve accompanied her nickname. And for another...his posture was much too stiff and not that of the usual flirty cat. Nearby, the white butterfly danced around in anger at hearing Hawkmoth call Ladybug his lady.

"Oh, nothing" Ladybug laughed self consciously. It was probably just her nerves again. After all, Chat could just be trying a new slicked back hair style and his eyes might not have ever been green. She had always known that his costume gave him contacts after all. Maybe he was just having an off day? It could be the cold...Anyways, it was nothing to be worried about. Probably. "Let's get patrol started, shall we?"

"Wait!" Chat called out, eyes snapping to the white butterfly flitting off the roof. He would have to act fast.

Ladybug paused and looked back. After a moment of hesitation, she walked to where Chat was standing. "What is it, chaton?"

Gabriel tried his best to look abashed and the faint taste of bile flooded his mouth. Say what you will about him, but this was a _child_ and he was an _adult_ and besides he was terrible at acting overdramatic. Angelina was the one that had always had the flair, not him. Still, he pushed on. This is for Angelina, he reminded himself, this is for your son. "You look really nice today,” He said with his best attempt at a suggestive grin (and then immediately recoiled inside his mind).

Ladybug frowned. "Thanks? Now come on, no time for your flirting, we have to go patrol!" A hand shot out and grabbed Ladybug's arm, stopping her. The grip was too tight, too forceful, Ladybug noticed.

Chat faced her and reached his hand out (to brush my hair away, Ladybug thought) and touched her earrings. Ladybug flinched away.

"What is wrong with you today, Chat?" Confusion, heavy and thick, weighed down on Ladybug's mind. Everything was a bit off and she didn't know why and she kept on feeling dread despite the fact that no danger was in sight. So much about Chat was different. He was usually serious about their superhero duties and wouldn’t make them wait so long, no matter how flirty he was. It’s just the cold, Ladybug said to herself. The cold had messed up his brain and his voice and his miraculous costume. He needed to go home, the sooner the better. Patrol would have to be quick today and if it came down to it, Ladybug would be willing to patrol by herself if her partner really wasn’t feeling well and-

A thud interrupted them. Ladybug caught a glimpse of familiar green eyes and blond hair before registering the white butterflies and lavender suit and-Ladybug had never been more confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean I can't say anything because I'm Miss Oblivious myself but Ladybug come on. 
> 
> Sorry if this is moving too slow or isn't that great? I dunno, man. Self confidence issues, but as always, I hope my readers will still enjoy :)
> 
> Thanks for reading! (Comments and kudos are always appreciated!) <3


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